Spell Scrolls and Spell Rings

[The Admiral]

I rull that the Spell ring can only store spells KNOWN by the wearer. Scrolls can not be stored in the ring. (had this very point come up in last nights game session)
Also the wand of magic double cast can only be used for spells the user knows, scrolls do not count.

Yeah, this is how we play.

The user of a scroll has to READ the scroll and that is not hastened by the wand.

Somebody please tell me how the Dwarf and Barbarian learned to read magic? We don't allow anyone other than the Wizard to read scrolls.

Yes, this is how I play it as well.

I do allow the Dwarf and Barbarian to use scrolls, but they always give them to the Wizard anyway. My Wizard's argument being that "you can be swinging your battleaxe while I cast a scroll, but what will I do while you cast a scroll? Jab some monster in the ribs with a long stick!"

[Decipher]

My By the time you are into the spell scrolls, odds are the Barbarian, Dwarf and even the Elf can hit pretty decent along with defending due to having acquired better armor and weapons. If they are rolling 5 or 6 or 7 combat dice per action, I would think it would be a waste of inflicting a decent amount of damage points if they are casting spells instead. I wouldn't restrict the spell scrolls to any one or two characters, everyone could cast them, but I personally would go in the direction of loading up the Wizard with all the spells and spell scrolls. If he is down to 2 spells or completely out altogether, he would be basically wasting a turn attacking a monster who outmatches him greatly. A spell and scroll spell would give the Wizard and the whole party a better chance at doing damage if he is casting the spells compared to him attacking with a weapon. We've all seen when a Wizard has no spells and sometimes has to pass his turn or leave the room because he knows he doesn't stand a chance rolling dice against a Gargoyle or the Witch Lord. I don't think it's overloading the Wizard, I think its balancing the entire party and maybe giving them the advantage.

[Goblin-King]

Spell Scrolls are the HQ equivalent of Shake'n'Bake.
They are designed to be easy for anyone to use.
You just look at the words and yell "FIRE" or "HEAL" or whatever the spell is.

The spell scroll is not instructions on how to cast a spell. It's not a page from a spell book.
A wizard carefully infused spellpower into the scroll for easy use. Probably for profit.

That is how I thematically see spellscrolls.

[knightkrawler]

Spell Scrolls are the HQ equivalent of Shake'n'Bake.
They are designed to be easy for anyone to use.
You just look at the words and yell "FIRE" or "HEAL" or whatever the spell is.

The spell scroll is not instructions on how to cast a spell. It's not a page from a spell book.
A wizard carefully infused spellpower into the scroll for easy use. Probably for profit.

That is how I thematically see spellscrolls.

I do agree with this.

[cynthialee]

This issue constantly pokes its' head up and I must protest that Scrolls are Spells written in shorthand Wizard Script with the spell contained in the scroll.
The rules as written stink.
A scroll spell should only be usable by a Spell Caster. Except for maybe scrolls with spells that would protect from evil, and those would basically be scriptures that are recited from a papyrus.
For HQ purposes I could see introducing more powerful scrolls that require a Mind Roll of some sort to be able to use with the Wizard getting the ability to automatically cast scrolls and the elf receiving some form of bonus on the roll. This would put the Wizard and Elf at an advantage and not make them replaceable by any old Barbarian with a satchel full of scrolls.

[Goblin-King]

As per my post above we'll just have to agree to disagree on what a spell scroll is - and that's okay.
But since you seem to have given it a lot of thought, how exactly DOES magic work in your setting?

Why does the wizard/elf has limited spells?
Why can each spell only be used once?
How exactly is it cast?

Also... A barbarian who had always wanted to be a wizard, is after years of questing rich enough to buy a satchel full of scrolls. Seems like a great character to me!

[The Admiral]

As per my post above we'll just have to agree to disagree on what a spell scroll is - and that's okay.
But since you seem to have given it a lot of thought, how exactly DOES magic work in your setting?

Why does the wizard/elf has limited spells?
Why can each spell only be used once?
How exactly is it cast?

Also... A barbarian who had always wanted to be a wizard, is after years of questing rich enough to buy a satchel full of scrolls. Seems like a great character to me!

Good questions. This is how I envisage it:
1) Spells have to be learned. In my heroquest, while non magic characters can use money to learn and aquire skills to help them fight, the Wizard can learn new spells. The elf has a combo.
2) I presume its a component issue coupled with maybe a meditation session to imbibe the magic? Between quests while the others are making merry and sharpening weapons, the Wizard is preparing his spells.
3) Incantation, arm movements, the usual.

I see scrolls as having had a magic user already spend some time to put their mojo into the making of it. Imbibing the paper with the neccessary oils etc, reciting the necesseary rituals. So that any numpty (Barbarian) can just read it and it is then finished with. They are obviously hard to come by because they don't appear in shops. Perhaps there is some wizard code forbidding the sale of their knowledge. Therefore scrolls only tend to be found in dark places and are rare and valued artifacts. That said all our scrolls go to the Wizard, because it's a waste of a good Titan sword attack from the Barbarian if he is casting a Pass through Rock scroll on someone.

[whitebeard]

The barbarian needs to learn to read first. He's not stupid, it's cultural. Mind points are not intelligence, they are mental conditioning representing concentration and strength against mental intrusion. Just as body points do not represent fighting prowess.

So if the barbarian is going to use a scroll, he needs the wizard to tell him how. Upon finding a new scroll, the wizard would need to identify it for him, and instruct him. And after time the barbarian might learn to read / recognize the first few runes and already know the command word, etc. This works in a world where every scroll is taken from a list of 12 possible spells and all such treasure is uniform. But if you use your imagination a bit, then each of these is created by a different wizard, has slightly different effects, and different command words... So he can't use them without instruction.

The dwarf rejects instruction in magic.

I see this as aiding in balance, and being totally explainable.

[cynthialee]

As per my post above we'll just have to agree to disagree on what a spell scroll is - and that's okay.
But since you seem to have given it a lot of thought, how exactly DOES magic work in your setting?

Why does the wizard/elf has limited spells?
Why can each spell only be used once?
How exactly is it cast?

Also... A barbarian who had always wanted to be a wizard, is after years of questing rich enough to buy a satchel full of scrolls. Seems like a great character to me!

Magic Is the result of the spell caster opening a small portal from their psyche in to the realm of Fairy. The realm of Fairy is a world of wishes and desires. From the Magic World the wizard forms the energies of his desire and translates them from his mind to his hands where his will forces the manna to form into his desired form.
We call it 'Rending the Veil' at my Table Top RPG and it is the first thing any wizard who wants to cast must learn to do.
Spells are the formula that mages have figured out that translates Fairy energy to a particular effect that is desired.

Spell Casters can cast only as many spells as their Veil Well (the reserve of magic set aside in the fairy realm they tap into) will permit. (for HQ and D&D, Each spell has a cool down period at least 24 or more hours before it can be evoked again. Furthermore you can't trust Fairies not to muck about in your brain, so you have to double check with your spell books before you try and cast it again.

To cast a Spell first the Mage must impose his will on two separate universes. Then he must reach into the veil well and grab the dream stuff that magic is made from and then force it into his desired form.
Now of course this is for Battle Mages and Combat Casters, Bards use their voices to sing to the veil and coax open it. Clerics open the veil with faith, and necromancers twist reality with demonic influence and they twist the veil open and take the manna they need.
Then there are the Fairy folk who run around with a veil well constantly open and available to them at a split seconds notice.

[The Admiral]

The barbarian...'s not stupid

The Wizard thinks everyone, except himself of course, is stupid.